R.O.E.
Distant Motive EP

Generative music seems to imply a systems approach to music, or a system that once created can utilise randomness in a creative way. The benevolence of nature’s creativity belies this musical term, and can flip the word ‘generative’ to mean to involve constantly flowing creativity with purpose. In Europe there was a time in the Pagan Renaissance when architecture would mirror nature’s generative quality. Sculptures and columns were to imply animation or movement.That’s where Milan W.’s album comes through in 2021. His music involves the night shadows of Europe’s architecture and its growth. In Bloom personifies itself by showing Antwerp’s influential ‘Night Play’: a term that can relate to many European cities such as Bologna, Vienna, and so on and so on. The leftovers of Renaissance and gothic architecture are everywhere in Europe still; layers of ruins that can generate the impression of simultaneous time periods. Tracks like Spa and Helium Queen reveal and revel in the power of shadow movement that is generated by the night. In Milan W.’s past works, the poignant and simple creative play of dark wave and synth beat music was his vehicle for expression, but now on In Bloom he departs to a touching sidereal impressionism allied with Coil’s instrumental pieces on Horse Rotorvator — an album whose cover portrays the potential powers of the pavilion just as Milan W. is portraying the generative soul and alienation of Europe’s ‘Night Play’. Because of In Bloom we can come to believe that there is a secretive energy in alienation, a playfulness that is alight at Night.

Pyramid Of Knowledge fires up the jets again for the Seoul-based producer's second interstellar adventure on Dream Ticket. Almost 30 years on from the precise, angular breaks and acid of UR's Electronic Warfare and the components of those potent battle weapons remain in full service, here honed by POK's controlled studio hand and ready to dash full-pelt against the enemy. Whose side are you on?

2022 Repress!

This is the fourth and final installment of Sushitech label head Yossi Amoya's reissue series focussing on the work of Eric Spire and his Silver Pearl label. The Los Angeles based producer was on a hot streak back in the late 90s, fomenting a new take on West Coast house music with hard drums and psychedelic synths that lay down something of a blueprint for later tech house a la Craig Richards, Wiggle and co. This useful 12" packs another punch with potent drums and razor sharp percussion across three cuts from some of the Silver Pearl mainstays.

DJ Stingray 313's Aqua Team series returns to Micron Audio. Originally released as a two-part series on the ever-innovative WeMe, the records quickly became collector's items. 15 years later, Aqua Team is now back in full force, reimagined as a triple vinyl album of underwater sonic explorations, fully remastered to meet modern cyborg standards. "Serotonin" starts the series off in true DJ Stingray style - pounding drums and 808 bass kicks, airy yet striking arpeggios and haunting vocal loops throughout. "Straight Up Cyborg" is a dystopian journey through cybernetic blips, bleeps and static and progressive build that truly bring the track to life. An aquatic alien bassline, sonar-like leads and hovering snare move swiftly in "Star Chart"; "Silicon Romance" and "Counter Surveillance" are modish tracks instantly recognizable as DJ Stingray 313's unique Detroit sound. "You have a destiny, and now is your time to fulfill it" says the mantra-like sample in "Potential", an entrancing synth loop sure to send listeners and dancefloors deep diving into euphoria. Pounding drums, floor-shaking low-end, running percussion and atonal, ominous samples theme the nefarious tracks "Binary Coven", "NWO", "LR001" and "Mindless", footnoting much darker undertakings in DJ Stingray 313's Aqua Team excursion. Closing out the Aqua Team saga is the strongly-titled "It's All Connected". Thick drums, glistening arpeggios and ethereal strings shine brightly across a wide stereo plane, creating a thundering wall of sound. Aqua Team truly showcases the diverse facets of DJ Stingray 313's signature production, as vast and evolving as the seafloor itself. - Jay Remy

'Other Dimensions Lp', Terrence Dixon's latest work and the new adventure in 30D's ExoPlanets sublabel, comes for the very first time released in full length format, split in two sides, showing Terrence's two faces. As everyone knows, words can not describe the music of this Detroit visionary, but we'll try. Futuristic, avant-garde-esque, mesmerizing, trippy and minimalistic / reduced techno funk as expected in A side, but highly emotional and evocative, as only he can do. On the flip side, Terrence redefines and takes to another level the concept of dark, experimental, abstract, atmospheric, alienated and dystopian music, a true musical trip (perhaps a nightmare???) to dive into. An extremely personal and intimate album.